death at not hearing from her. And now I'm going
to get you a cup of broth--you poor little white-faced child! How
did you ever get here?"

"Our ambulance brought me. We had sick men to send North. Ailsa
couldn't leave, so she asked me to come."

She accepted a chair near the bed. Celia went away to prepare some
breakfast with the aid of old Peter and Sadie, her maid. And as
soon as she left the room Letty sprang to her feet and went
straight to Berkley.

"I did not tell the entire truth," she said in a low, excited
voice. "I heard your regiment was here; Ailsa learned it from me.
I was coming anyway to see you."

"To see me, Letty?" he repeated, surprised and smiling.

"Yes," she said, losing what little colour remained in her cheeks.
"I am in--in much--anxiety--to know--what to do."

"Can _I_ help you?"

She looked wistfully at him; the tears rushed into her eyes; she
dropped on her knees at his bedside and hid her face on his hands.

[Illustration: "She dropped on her knees at his bedside and hid her
face on his hands."]

"Letty--Letty!" he said in astonishment, "what on earth has
happened?"

She looked up, lips quivering, striving to meet his gaze through
her tears.

"Dr. Benton is here. . . . He--he has asked me to--marry him."

Berkley lay silent, watching her intently.

"Oh, I know--I know," she sobbed. "I can't, can I? I should have
to tell him--and he would never speak to me again--never write to
me--never be what he has been all these months!--I know I cannot
marry him. I came to tell you--to ask--but it's no use--no use. I
knew what you would say----"

"Letty! Wait a moment----"

She rose, controlling herself with a desperate effort.

"Forgive me, Mr. Berkley; I didn't mean to break down; but I'm so
tired--and--I wanted you--I needed to hear you tell me what was
right. . . . But I knew already. Even if I were--were treacherous
enough to marry him--I know he would find me out. . . . I can't
get away from it--I can't seem to get away. Yesterday, in camp,
the 20th Cavalry halted--and there was John Casson!--And I nearly
dropped dead beside Dr. Benton--oh the punishment for what I
did!--the awful punishment!--and Casson stared at me and said: 'My
Lord, Letty! is that you?'"

She buried her burning cheeks in her hands.

"I did not lie to him. I offered him my hand; and perhaps he saw
the agony in my face, for he didn't say anything about the
Canterbury, but he took off